Mainframe, MVS and zOS Discussion

Hi,

I am a new system programmer. The last 25 I have been a UNIX administrator (Solaris, AIX, ...) and also I have been instructor in times when SUN Microsystems still existed. One year ago my boss asked if I would change to the zOS area. We just have a development area and the system programmers do all - no operators. It is a small team of 3 system programmers and one collegue will retire. So this is where I was asked to start in the new area. Its a long way to go, but I am very excited discouvering the new OS. I am still lacking very much in knowledge, but step for step encountering more and more of zOS. I am self-instructing and receiving external courses (RACF, WLM, HMC...)
As I am self-teaching very much - I read tons of Redbooks. But if you are looking for concrete information - what exactly have you to do to do a specific job, what Members have to be changed... - the information seems to me less clear than in other computer science topics. I am missing something like "Howtos" with a step-by-step introduction. So I hope here in the Forum to find the specialists to ask the concrete problems and to share the experiences made.

Looking forward knowing you

I think one of your problems is that the role of systems programmer has evolved over time and will continue to evolve. For example, z/OSMF is a fairly new IBM offering that allows some of the system programming function to be performed by a relatively new, untrained person. The Redbook series ABCs of z/OS System Programming is a 13-volume (so far) set that has a lot of good, helpful information. Some of the J. Ranade series had pretty good information although they are dated at this point.

Yes... you are right. The ABCs I have started to read (Vol. 1-4 and the others in parts) - but it's much text which in parts could be less if there wouldn't be so much IBM propaganda.
z/OSMF has been new to me and I asked my system programmer collegue and he said it is for the "new style" system programmers ;-) so I think over the time I will have to get in touch with that also. So thanks for that hint.
J. Ranade is new to me... but in a quick search now I haven't found them public availabe to download. Seems that they were printed books only, and they are very old (<= 1995) - correct?

Yes, they are old but good.